Heretofore, various forms of ring-type piston engines have been proposed by the prior art. It has been found that such prior art engines are susceptible to experiencing problems arising out of and during, generally, ignition of the motive fluid or combustible mixture within the piston cylinder combustion chamber.
For example, in such an annular or ring-shaped combustion chamber, if ignition of the combustible mixture therein is initiated at a single point, then, before combustion is completed, flame propagation must occur in a generally circular path (within the ring-shaped combustion chamber) until such flame reaches (theoretically) a point diametrically opposite the point where ignition was initiated. As a consequence of such an annular path (in both directions about the centerline or axis of the ring-shaped combustion chamber) of flame propagation, a higher combustion chamber pressure can be produced at the point of initiation of ignition than at the point diametrically opposite to the point of ignition initiation. As a result of such differing magnitudes of pressure, the ring piston (within the ring-like cylinder) would tend to tilt generally toward the higher pressure area thereby causing additional stresses and uneven wear of, for example, the ring or annular piston and ring-like cylinder.
The prior art has heretofore suggested the employment of a plurality of igniters situated as to be equally spaced about the ring-like cylinder and combustion chamber thereby, when simultaneously fired resulting in a much-more equalized pressure and eliminating the undesirable pressure difference as hereinbefore described with reference to the employment of a single igniter. The use of such a plurality of igniters to cause simultaneous ignition at a corresponding plurality of points is, generally, an acceptable arrangement; however, such an arrangement still is susceptible to the creation of the previously described undesirable pressure differences. That is, if in such a multi-igniter system one or more of the igniters for some reason fails to fire and, at that location, initiate ignition of the combustible mixture, then, it should be apparent, the previously described undesirable pressure differences will occur.
Accordingly, the invention as herein disclosed and described is directed, primarily, to the aforementioned as well as other related and/or attendant problems of the prior art.